Based on the controversial book by Ranulph Fiennes, Killer Elite sees us following Danny Bryce (Statham) and hunter (De Niro), experienced mercenaries not to be messed with. When a routine hit on a Mexican leader ends with a child being involved Danny decides it is time to go straight and retires to Australia.
Unfortunately his settled life is short lived when he receives a package stating that Hunter has been kidnapped and being held in Oman by a sheikh. jetting off to save his lifelong friend, Danny is soon tasked with a mission in order to secure the safe release of his closest partner. The mission, to avenge the death of the sheikh's three sons and kill the SAS men who murdered them, with no evident trace that they have been killed. In addition, the sheikh wants a recorded message of all three men admitting to the murders, a task that will not be easy.
Heading to England, Danny attempts to track down the SAS personnel with help from some close friends but soon attracts the attention of a group named 'The Feather Men', one of those who is Spike (Owen), a retired SAS soldier who 'still believes he is a soldier'. With this mentality he becomes a thorn in the side of Danny and a cat-and-mouse game ensues between the two.
Killer Elite showed promise in its trailer and with the leading talent consisting of three highly regarded actors the formula looked all well and good. Unfortunately the high octane action failed to go beyond a few loud gunshots and explosions, and a rather mediocre fight between Statham and Owen. Plot-wise, being based on real life it worked fairly well but with some unnecessary twists and turns along the way it did at times become a little baffling.
For a film that showed promise Killer Elite was a bitter disappointment and I think it is fair to say that our leads won't be holding this film in such high regard compared to some of their previous efforts in the action thriller bracket.
Film rating: 2 F's out of 5
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